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Sunday, January 30, 2011

ESPRESSO CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH MOCHA MASCARPONE FROSTING

A LITTLE BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION

I don’t remember any of my childhood or teen birthdays. There were no parties, not a one, no streamers, no pointed cone party hats, no cakes piled high with gaudy neon-colored roses with Jamie written elegantly across glossy white icing. No surprise parties as far back as I can remember, no friends hiding in darkened rooms behind sofas and armchairs smothering giggles, no gifts piled high awaiting the astonished scream tumbling into laughter from the lips of this birthday girl. No teen dances in the back room of my parents’ house, pouring over the boys’ names on the invitation list with a best girlfriend, wondering which would want to dance with me. No memories of spin the bottle or sneaking mouthfuls of liqueur from behind the bar dot my adolescence, no snapshots of those unforgiving gawkiest of years. No, birthdays were always simple and low key, maybe a family celebration at a favorite restaurant, a gift or two, and a day like any other. Nothing at all to mark the event from one year to the next, so nothing special stands out in my memories.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, one year older...and?

I remember the first birthday party that I was invited to, memories tinged with the old jealousy I felt back then. She was the prettiest girl in both my Sunday School and my kindergarten class, a princess who lived in what to my 5-year-old eyes was a castle fitting her beauty and grace; she had her very own bedroom despite having sisters, a bedroom full of feminine ruffles, a fairytale canopied bed and life-sized stuffed animals. And her birthday party was everything I had always dreamed of out by the pool. Yes, even at that tender age I had gone to that party accompanied by the green-eyed monster wondering why I didn’t have it all as well?

I remember Shay’s birthday party somewhere around the 4th grade, lovely Shay, the middle of three very glamorous sisters, my best friend. I remember her mom leading the games in the front yard as we all kneeled and bowed down to an imaginary King, shouting “Owa taygoo Siam” over and over again, faster and faster, louder and louder until, one by one, with much embarrassment and 4th-grade giggles, we realized that we had been shouting “Oh what a goose I am!” and the joke was on us! I remember Willie’s birthday party in that poor little corner house near where my brother now lives and my very first game of Pin the Tail on the Donkey and my wonder that if his parents could give him a party then why couldn’t mine? I remember my friend Chris’ older sister Julie’s (my brother’s friend) birthday party in the oh so cool house across the street with the piñata strung up on a tree in their backyard and the kids whacking at that brightly-colored paper maché horse until it burst open, candy flying everywhere, kids diving to gather it up. And how I wanted a birthday party like that!But I still never had a birthday party. Year after year, that shy, nervous schoolgirl that I was accepted the quiet celebrations and jealously dreamed of parties. So it would seem strange, then, that I simply adore my birthdays. But now I am surrounded by men who, although they don’t organize parties for me, surprise or otherwise, spoil and pamper me with wonderful restaurants and utterly impractical, fabulously girly gifts. This year was no different – except that Simon was not here with us. JP and Clem whisked me off to the best restaurant in town and, as we were waiting for our first course, slipped my lovely, perfect gift discreetly into my hand.

And every year I make my own birthday cake. Yes, I could ask my men to pop into any pastry shop and choose one for me, or I could do that myself. How easy to bring home a luscious tart or bavaroise, some creamy concoction that the French know how to create with such perfection, beautifully, elegantly layered and decorated with swirls and curls and sugar gewgaws. But I love to make it myself, creating a dense American-style layer cake in whatever flavors I crave. No, it is never as pretty or as perfect in shape and form as those found in the pastry shops, but every single year I make myself my perfect cake. Usually, I make a fabulous Chestnut Layer Cake with rich Chocolate Buttercream Frosting but lately I’ve changed the tradition. Last year I simply made decadent chocolate brownies and wonderful Lemon Soufflé Puddings, a complete break from the usual cake. Two years ago I made a favorite Chocolate Cake, dense, moist and very chocolaty, filled with Coffee-flavored Whipped Cream and slathered rather haphazardly with a thick layer of Chocolate Buttercream. And this year, the Coffee and Chocolate theme was continued with an entirely new concoction, an Espresso-Chocolate Layer Cake with a Mocha Mascarpone Frosting.

Two years ago, I flew to New York where I spent 3 tiring, sad weeks with my elder brother, helping him, taking care of him, the last I spent time with him. As I waited for my flight at JFK airport, the flight that would take me away from my beloved brother and back into the arms of husband and sons, I decided to splurge and treat myself to an armful of cooking magazines, an expensive luxury during more normal times. I selected, among others, an issue of bon appétit and as I flipped through the pages, my attention was arrested by a fabulous, mouthwatering array of cakes spread out over page after page. And I longed to make one or the other. Over the past two years, I have pulled out the magazine several times and each time I find myself staring at, ogling, dreaming of this gorgeous selection of cakes. I stumbled across the magazine once again, quite by accident, a couple weeks before my birthday and the photograph of a stunning dark chocolate and coffee layer cake jumped out at me and this time it had BIRTHDAY written all over it. And as I ran my hand across the glossy page, caressing the beauty of this confection, I happened to catch a glimpse of the artist who created the recipes in this spread and I excitedly realized that I know her! My lovely friend Abby Dodge, author of Desserts 4 Today that I recently reviewed. That sealed it and this wonderful, rich, dense, gorgeous chocolate cake with the perfect hint of espresso and the delicious mocha frosting was the crowning glory of this year’s birthday festivities.

You don't have to wait for a birthday to make and enjoy this fabulous cake. Everyone: me, JP, Clem and all the young dudes, absolutely went wild for this dessert! A rather easy recipe to put together, the Espresso Chocolate Layer Cake is so chocolatey, the coffee infusing a warm richness and highlighting the chocolate without drowning it out and the luxurious whipped frosting was one of the best I've ever tasted: creamy smooth, a perfect mocha flavor. This cake got a double thumbs up all around and it has moved onto the list of our favorite desserts, birthday, holiday, any day.

Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C) and position the rack in the middle of the oven. Generously butter two 9-inch round x 2-inch high cake pans, dust with flour, shake out the excess and then line the bottoms with parchment paper.

Sift the 2 cups cake flour, the cocoa powder, baking soda and salt into a bowl. Place the softened butter in a large mixing bowl and, using electric beaters, beat the butter until smooth. Add the brown sugar and beat until well blended and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. Blend in the vanilla. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Beat in the dry ingredients on low speed in 3 additions alternating with the buttermilk in 2 additions, beating just until blended after each addition. Gradually add the hot water espresso, beating until smooth. Increase beater speed to medium and just whip very briefly until smooth and fluffy.

Divide the batter evenly between the 2 prepared cake pans and bake for about 40 minutes or until a tester inserted in the center of the layers comes out clean. Remove the cakes from the oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes on cooling racks. Run a knife around the edges of the pans to loosen the cakes, invert the cakes onto the racks, lift off the pans and peel off the parchment paper. Invert the layers again so the top sides are up and allow to cool completely.

You can make the cake layers a day ahead; simply wrap each layer individually in plastic wrap and leave at room temperature.

Sift the cocoa powder into a large bowl. Add the espresso powder. Bring 1 cup of the heavy cream just to a boil in a small saucepan then slowly pour over the cocoa and espresso, whisking until the cocoa is completely dissolved, about 1 minute. Add the remaining cold ½ cup cream and the sugar and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Chill in the refrigerator until cold, at least 2 hours. Or do this the day before and chill overnight.

Place the mascarpone in a large mixing bowl and beat until loosened and fluffy. Add the chilled cocoa mixture and, on low speed, beat until blended and smooth. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until the frosting is thick and medium-firm peaks hold, about 2 minutes. Do not overbeat or the frosting may curdle.

Assemble the cake:

Using a pastry brush, brush off crumbs from the cake layers. Place one cake layer, top side up, on the serving platter. Spoon 1 ¾ cup frosting on the cake and spread evenly over the layer all the way to the edges. Top with the second cake layer, top side up, pressing to adhere. Spread thin layer of frosting over top and sides of cake. Chill for 10 minutes. Spread the remaining frosting over the sides and top of the cake, swirling decoratively.

I know how you felt! Just like you, I never had a birthday party and there wasn't anything big happening. I envied my school friends too. It was just me and my parents... And now I still have a very lonely birthday on Xmas day (just me and my BF).

Anyway, your cake is splendid! I'd love to get such a cake for my B'day. i hope you had a great day and enjoyed the company.

Making your own birthday cake is great. I made my own for my last birthday and I enjoyed it immensely. Yours looks amazing.Happy birthday Jamie. I hope that your family members are reading this and throw you a surprise birthday party next year :) Restaurants are indeed wonderful for a birthday dinner but nothing beats a party.

You know I love this cake; it's truly my most favorite EVER. I substituted white chocolate for the cocoa powder when I made it because the picture in Bon Appetit looked like the frosting was very dark and I like more contrast. Yours looks better and after discussing with Abby some time ago, more in keeping with how it should look; much more appealing than the magazine photo Jamie!

A few things in life can beat the marriage of chocolate and coffee. The cake looks amazing!I almost always make all the birthday cakes, even though I am not an experienced baker (that way I hope to get better:)I was sad for the little you, ridden with jealousy... My birthdays were always loud affairs, with a lot of friends and just symbolic gifts. Even now I don't mind a party in my honor:)Enjoy the rest of your birthday season (a month is not enough)!

Lovely looking cake, nice and fluffy frosting, gotta love chocolate. I also have made many a birthday cakes for myself and one year I decided to make the cake but let the grandkids and neighborhood kids decorate. Fun time, so after that year I let them decorate my cake for the next few years. I sure miss all the enjoyment we had as neighbors. We've all moved to different areas of town.

I do think that it's a perfect birthday cake. Particularly with those jewel beads of pomegranete! It would be a wonderful addition to any party. I wish that you could have had it at yours when you were younger :( At least you're able to find pleasure in other people's birthday festivities.

My kind of cake for my kind of gal...happy birthday sistah. You always do it in style, and this post is no less. You are a treasure box of emotions, words and creativity. You know this cake has my name written all over it. It's perfect...HUGS!!

I felt like I was reading an account of my childhood! I remember being envious of those children whose birthday parties were large and lavish, with magic shows and puppeteers while I had quiet celebrations at home with my mother and father eating the same cake every year. Now as an adult I no longer crave those large celebrations, in fact the best birthdays for me are the simple ones spent at home. Thank you for sharing that story and your beautiful birthday cake!

What a beautiful bittersweet story. My parents recently had their 60th wedding anniversary, and I have to say, I must have been like your best friend. We were by no means rich, but my mother knew how to through the most amazing birthday parties. Oh, my, they were so grand and so much fun. We would get dressed in a party dress with a crinoline slip and our hair was freshly washed and curled... it was summer and always outside on a hot day... party games to no end, all the neighbourhood boys and girls... cake. Perfection. Every year. Now, I recall others. I knew a girl with a canopy bed, too... but, boy, I knew I was lucky. As you do now, surrounded by all your "men". What a gorgeous cake - and an equally serendipitous story about how you decided to make that recipe. It was simply meant to be. And, it is gorgeous.Happy Happy Birthday.Thank you for uploading Feedburner!I have subscribed!:)Valerie

Beautiful cake Jamie.. And so my kinda cake..lOve the pink decorations on it..even I used to envy my friends who had birthday parties:-(..it was always at home..nothing has changed now..it's still just me and my hubs quiet at home but last year he made a cake;-)

Saucy, I swear if I lived anywhere near you - I would have thrown a big birthday party for you - just the girls, a bottle of good bubbly and of course your gorgeous cake. So glad you had a blast and your men spoilt you! You deserve it!

How wonderful that you were able to enjoy your birthdays as you got older, despite the envy you felt as a child. Birthday parties often make me feel uncomfortable - that is, my own birthday parties. Too much personal doting and attention and I don't know what to do with myself. But birthday CAKE has always been a non-negotiable for me. French cakes and tartes are never a suitable replacement. If you lived in Paris, I would order this cake from you in a heartbeat!

Happy Birthday Jamie!Beautiful cake for a beautiful person! I am glad that your "men" are making up for missed birthday parties and I do hope that you celebrate all year!

Last evening Giuliano and I had to go to a function, we left our oldest, 11 pouring over cookbooks with a babysitter. When we arrived home, there was a.... well.... it kind of looked like one of those mesas in Arizona cake. The recipe for the frosting had called for 5 cups of sugar. However, they did clean up the kitchen so all was ok. I believe the lesson is that my girls should stick to baking YOUR recipes.

Happy belated Birthday wishes Jamie. If it's any consolation to you my first and only birthday party was when I was 18 but was not pleasant at all, having invited some boys as well and my parents were there watching over us so that they would behave properly :) Never had a birthday party again except with family.Your cake is beautiful and delicious. I wouldn't change it with any fancy store bought cake.

First of all, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! Hope your day was as wonderful as this cake! Love chocolate and coffee!!I have fond memories of my birthdays when I was a kid. They were simple, fun and the cake was always the same, made by my mother. You have just inspired me to post about it, who knows on my next birthday in Feb!

I don't have any great memories of teen or child birthday parties either. Birthdays were always low key. But after meeting this fabulous man I married he makes sure he surprises me one way or the other each birthday. Even then I still enjoy low key birthdays in general. Life is always so fast and running, I prefer to just have my own tine on birthdays :) Glad u had a good birthday Jamie. I love this cake. Its so my kind. Choc and coffee! And you made it look SO pretty.

Happy belated Birthday, Jamie and oh what a birthday it could be with a cake like that! Not only is it aesthetically gorgeous, but so mouth watering that I would give anything to grab a piece out of the screen! Hope you enjoyed your wonderful day, getting everything your heart desired. *hugs*

BTW, I had the typical big bday parties with balloons, cake, presents, probably up until I was 12 and was too 'cool' for those. Plus, my father loved ice cream cakes, so he's try to sneak one in over my usual vanilla buttercream, every.single.time LOL

Oh Saucy, I am so mortified that your birthday came and went while I was having my one week out of 52 offline!! I know you had a small but perfectly formed celebration though. I remember parties every year as a kid and a teen - my mom threw a party at the drop of a hat! I miss her so.

This cake looks sinfully wonderful, so perfect for a birthday!! sounds like you are making fabulous memories now, which is great because I can't stand it when people dread their birthdays. Tanti Auguri!

Happy birthday delayed! That cake is so beautiful it must make up for at least some of thise missed parties. I sometimes wonder if it is worth getting into a big ado for my kids' birthdays. After reading your post I realize that a party, however simple - ours are, really make little ones feel special.

I had a birthday party every year! It was so exciting because I got a whole chocolate cake, which was way too big for the few invited people to eat it, so I could always eat it for three more days!This cake looks delicious. I'm not a fan of coffee but I bookmarked it because you never know :)

Finally..I read your whole post in peace and one breath.I remember celebrating only one birthday party when I was 8 years old and had a tweety bird cake from the most upscale bakery in the town.Now my husband doesnt let me bake for myself and always orders for me for the sheer joy of making me feel special:) Lovely post Jamie..you have the best words in the blogworld..so I always keep aside time to devour them.Hope you enjoyed your birthday with that gorgeous cake.

@Tanja: the coffee flavor is not that strong in either the cake or the frosting. Just seems to make the chocolate flavor better! And the frosting is so scrumptious yet light flavored I couldn't stop eating it straight out of the bowl! Go for it! You'll love it!

@Tanvi: Wow, the best words in the blog world? I am touched and honored and thrilled you think so! Honestly! It is words like this from readers that inspire me to keep writing! Thank you so much and your husband is right, you deserve to be spoiled!

@The Quiet Person: Personally, I thought the balance of flavors was absolutely perfect! But I guess you could add an extra teaspoon or two of espresso powder to the hot water. Or make a different frosting that was heavier on the coffee.

@toni_valtoni: This is indeed the cake for a birthday! And worth the making! The sugar is white granulated (it dissolves in the cream); when I write "sugar" in a recipe it always refers to white granulated. Any other kind of sugar I am sure to indicate. Let me know how the cake turns out!

Please, do you know if this cake can be frozen? I made it and LOVED it. Would like to use it for an upcoming wedding, but would have to freeze the cake ahead of time (only cake, not frosting). Thanks so much for your time, and the lovely recipe.